APTISM 




Drury 




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Copyright^ 10 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



BAPTISM 

Its Place in the Church Visible 



'One Lord, one faith, one baptism''' 



BY 



A. W. DRURY, D.D. 

Professor in Union Biblical Seminary 




Dayton, Ohio 

United Brethren Publishing Home 

1002 



THrUftRAftY OF 

CONGRESS, 
Two Cor Eg Recktveo 

COFVWGHT ENTRY , 

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CMSS <2-XXo No 

copy a/ 






Copyright 1902, by W. It. Funk, Agent 
All rights reserved 



LC Control Number 




tmp96 027449 






INTRODUCTION. 



In the English-speaking world there has never 
been the breach between scholarship and the think- 
ing of the people in general that elsewhere has 
proved so calamitous. Various things have con- 
tributed to this more favorable condition. Eng- 
lish scholars do not so much make scholarship an 
end in itself. It is promoted to serve. It is not 
used to glorify a class. 

The enlightenment and betterment of the peo- 
ple being kept in view, devious and unprofitable 
paths are avoided. The arbitrary, the conceited, 
and the false are escaped. Scholarship is itself 
improved by being made to suit itself to practical 
tests. The direct efforts of scholars themselves, 
or the existence of a large number of enlightened 
and active thinkers and workers between the ex- 
ponents of scholarship and the people in general, 
has tended to popularize the facts and principles 

iii 



Introduction 

reached by the former, and to constitute a bond 
of union uniting all classes. 

If the publication of the present series of small 
books on theology shall tend to prolong the day 
of mutual understanding and harmonious results, 
the undertaking will not prove to have been in 
vain. 

The ordinance of baptism finds its theoretical 
ground in subjects that have been presented in 
other volumes of the present series, in the great 
facts and principles of Christianity. If these sub- 
jects have been comprehended fully, and with 
proper reference to practical elements, baptism 
will be recognized as a solemn obligation and as 
the source of great spiritual good. Otherwise, it 
will be a meaningless and burdensome form. 
Baptism, almost the least of all things, has a 
value in itself. If it does not take up a meaning 
passed down to it, and then become a practical 
factor in building up the kingdom of God, it has 
no credential to recommend it. The command 
back of it implies a service to be rendered. To 
disobey, dishonors God and defrauds man. 

Baptism, while serving a purpose for the indi- 
vidual believer, is especially institutional in its 

iv 



Introduction 

character and operation. It helps to constitute, to 
distinguish, and to make effective the Christian 
church. It thus becomes the earthly badge and 
instrument of the divine kingdom. 

In the treatment that follows, reference is con- 
stantly had to what is warranted by the best schol- 
arship, to the practical ends that are to be served, 
especially through the church as an institution, 
and to what is uppermost and most pertinent in 
the conditions and exigencies of to-day. 

It is well known that the subject of baptism 
has been the occasion of almost endless contro- 
versy, often bitter, often unfruitful, often involv- 
ing injury and discredit. While the measure of 
attention that some subjects have received has 
been inversely as their importance, the contentions 
of men, as a rule, are closely connected with some- 
thing vital. We should not, because of the bitter 
disputes that have attended it, cast aside the sub- 
ject of baptism or treat it captiously, but seek to 
discover the significance that it possesses and as- 
certain its real authority, and what things enter 
into its proper observance. If we should be scan- 
dalized at controversy, then would we turn away 
from Christianity itself, for no other system or 



Introduction 

agency has been more persistently attacked or reso- 
lutely defended. 

It is to be recognized that in reference to bap- 
tism the sincerest Christians and the ablest schol- 
ars have differed widely. It may seem unfortu- 
nate and unaccountable that in the course of the 
years some decisive data or convincing argument 
should not be found to remove these differences. 
Probably a part of our probation comes in at this 
point. We are to act on probable evidence, and 
each one is compelled to use some measure of 
judgment for himself. It may be, too, that the 
problems involved are promotive of a larger meas- 
ure of attention to the theoretical and practical 
questions belonging to the Christian religion. 

On subjects in regard to which men differ there 
should be an earnest effort to reach the truth, and 
then there should be no hesitation or concealment 
in declaring the conclusion reached. Neither good 
will nor advantage is promoted by a noncommittal 
course. 

However, on the subject of baptism, especially 
in relation to the mode and the recipients of bap- 
tism, it is proper to state, in some cases at least, 
considerations of weight on each side, at the same 



Introduction 

time not avoiding the freest statement of convic- 
tion in the cases considered. 

May this "little book/' as it goes forth with its 
companions, find the present time opportune for 
the concentrating of attention on the great and 
really important things, and a close linking of 
fundamental truth and practical aims in the 
building up of the kingdom of God in the world. 



vii 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



INTRODUCTION. 

Page 

Breach Between Scholars and the People to be Avoided— 
Relation of Baptism to Doctrine — Baptism and the 
Visible Church— Not to be Offended at Controversy or 
Differences of Opinion— Frank Statements Best, - iii 

CHAPTER I. 
The Nature and Obligation of Baptism. 

Positive Command— Rational Support— Sacred Rites— The 
Sacraments — Baptism Suited as an Introductory or 
Covenant Act by What It Symbolizes — Institutional 
Christianity— A Seal— Means of Grace— Relation to 
Circumcision— Why Baptism Took the Place of Cir- 
cumcision—Spiritual and Individual Elements Made 
More Prominent— Old Testament Purifications— Called 
Baptisms— Usage by Jewish Writers— Baptism of Jew- 
ish Proselytes— John's Baptism— Christ Baptized— Na- 
ture of Baptism Confirms Obligation— Delay Wrong- 
Neglect of Ministers— Errors as to Baptism, - - 11 

CHAPTER II. 
Mode of Baptism. 

Three Opposing Positions— Immersion Urged— The Greek 
Verb Not Decisive — Baptism Succeeded the Jewish 
Purifications, Which Were by Sprinkling— Scripture 

viii 



Table of Contents 

Examples — Buried With Christ — Baptism Not Merely 
a Sign of Regeneration— Counter Examples From the 
Scriptures— Baptism Into Christ— Testimony of Church 
History — Teaching of the Twelve Apostles — Justin 
Martyr's Description— History of Changes in Mode- 
How Immersion May Have Sprung From Something 
Simpler— Tendency in the Church — Influence From 
Heathenism— Various Testimonies— Lingering Traces 
of Sprinkling— Light From the Modern Period— Ana- 
baptists— Case of Dr. Whitsit; Case for Immersion Not 
Made Out — A Primitive Mode, If Known, Not Govern- 
ing for Later Times — Sprinkling Made Exclusive by 
Some— Considerations in Its Favor, Yet No Exclusive 
Right— Liberty as to Mode Affirmed— Duty of Ministers, 35 

CHAPTER III. 
Subjects of Baptism. 

Testimony of the Scriptures, Church History, and Chris- 
tian Consciousness— Baptism of Believers— Of Penitent 
Seekers— Opposition to Infant Baptism, from the Idea 
of Baptism — The Silence of the Scriptures— Phrase- 
ology and Rules for Adults Not to be Applied to Children 
—Rights of the Child Not Violated— Jewish Children- 
Bearing of Rite of Circumcision— Christ's Mind Toward 
Children— The Great Commission— Position of Dr. Car- 
son—Household Baptisms— Testimony of the Church 
Fathers— General Prevalence of Infant Baptism— Ana- 
baptism— Success of Baptist Churches— Argument From 
Christian Consciousness— Neander's Position— Practical 
Benefits — Confirmation, or Personal Acceptance of 
Christ— Broad Purpose of Baptism, - - - - 63 

CONCLUSION. 

Beneficent Purpose— The Agreements More Than the Dis- 
agreements—Bane of an Exaggerated or Wrong Esti- 
mate—Best Practice to be Joined to Best Ideals— Bigotry 
and Indifference Alike to be Shunned— Spiritual Bap- 
tism, - - - - - - - - - 89 



BAPTISM. 



CHAPTEE I. 

The Nature and Obligation of Baptism. 

"Go ye therefore and make disciples of all na- 
tions, baptizing them into the name of the Father, 
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 
28:19, American Eevision). This language of 
Christ, in commissioning his apostles, is decisive 
as to the obligation of baptism. On the day of 
Pentecost, when the Christian church was estab- 
lished, Peter proclaimed, "Kepent, and be bap- 
tized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ 
for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Other 
passages of Scripture show that the requirement 
of baptism was strictly carried out, and that bap- 
tism at once took its universal and permanent 
character. 

11 



Baptism 

While the declared will of Christ was the direct 
ground for Christian baptism, that will was the 
expression of all of his attributes, including his 
wisdom and love. When once baptism is received 
as a divine requirement, we may expect to see 
rational grounds or confirmations for the same. 

Baptism is a sacred rite. A rite is an external 
sign or action symbolizing some truth, expressing 
or promoting some feeling, or declaring some in- 
ward act. One or more of these elements, or even 
additional ones, may be included. Eites are com- 
mon in every condition of man and in every de- 
partment of life. This may be due to the fact 
that man is a dual being, possessed of body and 
spirit. It may be that the spirit requires the aid 
of the body and of outward things to imitate and 
give force and prominence to elements that would 
otherwise be indistinct or wholly impossible. That 
our spiritual acts or states may be made known 
to others, or be shared by them, such outward 
manifestation may be necessary, or at least help- 
ful. God may be more truly and acceptably hon- 
ored by a proportionate use of suitable rites. In 
view of the abundant use of rites and ceremonies 
on every hand, a sweeping criticism of them in 

12 



Baptism 

religion must be set down to narrowness and 
prejudice. There is no presumption against them, 
and when once they are given by divine authority, 
they may readily be accepted as appropriate and 
beneficent. 

Christ authoritatively gave to his church but 
two rites — baptism and the Lord's Supper. Chris- 
tian truth and Christian experience might sug- 
gest and prompt additional rites, just as they are 
the basis of many other things that belong to a 
developed Christianity, a working church, and a 
transformed world. But for these two rites, 
Christ from the first made himself responsible. It 
is enough to us that he ordained them. After ac- 
cepting this authority, we may look at reasons and 
results with gratitude for whatever recommenda- 
tions and enforcements they may disclose. Lov- 
ing obedience to the perfect will of the great Ee- 
deemer will make these outward observances, as 
well as all spiritual duty, joyous and full of bless- 
ing. 

Baptism and the Lord's Supper are generally 
spoken of as sacraments. The term belongs espe- 
cially to the Western church. The word, while not 
found in the Scriptures, gives a good idea of what 

13 



Baptism 

is their primary character; namely, their char- 
acter as covenant acts. The term is taken from 
the word sacramentum, which, in one of its uses, 
denoted the military oath required of Eoman sol- 
diers. The idea of the Christian life as a warfare 
may or may not have been taken into account 
when the word was appropriated; but the idea of 
an initiation and a solemn pledge to faithfulness 
was justly and strongly set forth by the term 
chosen. The Greek church, in using the term, 
"mysteries," was far less correct and fortunate. 

But along with the covenant use of baptism, 
and giving it its significance and appropriateness 
in this regard, is the fitting symbolizing of spir- 
itual truth. There is a manifoldness in all of 
God^s works and appointments. The water of 
baptism naturally suggests the purifying and re- 
freshing of the spiritual man. According to the 
frequent statement of the Scriptures, it is a testi- 
mony to the lost estate of man, and the renewal 
by the Holy Spirit of the spiritual nature of man. 
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, 
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, 
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 
3:5). "Not by works of righteousness which we 

14 



Baptism 

have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, 
by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of 
the Holy Ghost" (Titus 3:1). "The like figure 
whereunto even baptism doth also now save us 
(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, 
but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) 
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (I. Pet. 
3:21). 

Baptism is also a symbol of justification or par- 
don. Peter exhorted the people to repent and be 
baptized "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2: 38). 
Prevailingly, the Lord's Supper looks to the death 
of Christ as the ground for justification, or what 
is done for us; while baptism looks to regenera- 
tion, or what by the divine Spirit is wrought 
within us. Baptism may also look back of both 
regeneration and justification to the death of 
Christ as opening up the way for all spiritual 
blessings. Thus it shares, in a measure, with the 
Lord's Supper the commemorating of the aton- 
ing death of Christ and the symbolizing of the 
blessings accruing therefrom. 

Baptism, in its symbolizing, leaves no important 
Christian truth untouched. Its first and funda- 
mental testimony is to the existence and nature of 

15 



Baptism 

God, the doctrine of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 
Nothing in Christianity has been more universal 
than the use of, as Augustine calls them, "the 
evangelical words" given in the baptismal 
formula. Sometimes, indeed, a shorter formula, 
"baptism in the name of Jesus Christ," was used, 
the one truth lacking to complete the arch being 
thus confessed. The baptismal formula grew to 
be the "Apostles' Creed," as it is generally called, 
which as a simple, positive, and symmetrical set- 
ting forth of the great truths of Christianity has 
commanded the assent and admiration of Chris- 
tendom down to our day. 

The great spiritual truths of Christianity, es- 
pecially the facts of a new life, and of a new hu- 
manity, and of a new world, are by baptism 
emphasized to the individual believer, to the 
community of Christians, and to those without. If 
baptism should be neglected or displaced, the sol- 
emn testimony and appeal of Christianity would, 
lose much of their force. The truths and factn 
symbolized by baptism make it suitable as the 
initiatory rite of Christianity, as a covenant act 
by which believers declare their membership in 
the church of God, the visible community of the 

16 



Baptism 

redeemed. Baptism as a sign declares a new sub- 
jective condition of the individual; as a covenant 
act it is the basis and the witness for the institu- 
tional character of Christianity, the visible, testi- 
fying, and battling church of Christ. Institu- 
tional religion is often disparaged, but the 
terribly real conditions to be met, the greatness 
of the work to be done, and the perils to be en- 
countered make the outward church a necessity. 
It is not an end but a necessary means to the 
spiritual kingdom. If the founder of the kingdom 
saw that the church was necessary, and formally 
established it, we show great presumption when 
we disparage or ignore any of the features or 
factors that give it its character. The preaching 
of the gospel in its purity, and the right adminis- 
tration of the sacraments, are rightly regarded as 
the distinguishing marks of the church. 

The family of Eef ormed churches concur in re- 
garding baptism a seal as well as a sign. Christ 
gives, through his church, baptism, as a pledge 
of salvation to believers, and they, on their part, 
in taking upon themselves the sacred rite, give to 
him their pledge of faithful allegiance. Christ 
plights his faith to the believer, and the believer 

2 17 



Baptism 

plights his faith to Christ, thus constituting a real 
covenant. 

The sacraments are a means of grace, not be- 
cause of anything in themselves, or in the adminis- 
trator, but because of the faith and receptive con- 
dition of the recipient and the bestowment of 
divine grace and the accompanying agency of the 
Holy Spirit. Probably, in the reaction from saera- 
mentarian views have come too shallow views gen- 
erally to prevail. 

Circumcision was the initiatory rite under the 
Old Covenant. Baptism takes its place under the 
New Covenant. The latter is so suitable in its 
symbolism and so unquestioned in its authority, 
that it at once took its designed and permanent 
place. "In whom also ye are circumcised with the 
circumcision made without hands, in putting off 
the body of the sins of the flesh by the circum- 
cision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, 
wherein also ye are risen with him through the 
faith of the operation of God, who hath raised 
him from the dead" (Col. 2 : 11, 12). While this 
passage expresses and emphasizes faith and re- 
lated spiritual elements, and makes impossible an 
undue exaltation of circumcision under the Old 

18 



Baptism 

Covenant, or baptism under the New, it does give 
to these rites a similar and corresponding place. 

There is a broad sense in which the church of 
all the centuries and all the generations is one. 
Most of the objections to baptism would have been 
even more decisive against the rite of circumcision 
and the external and provisional character of 
Judaism. The objections made against baptism, 
especially against its taking the place of circum- 
cision in constituting an outward fellowship, 
would be destructive of all institutional character 
for the church of God. Many virtually, if not 
openly, say that an institution is unnecessary, that 
a public, organized community for work and wor- 
ship is superfluous, that all that is necessary is an 
inward, individual state and life, the objectors dis- 
closing, on their part, a condition of soul too good 
for this life, and yet not suited to any other. 
Christ planted a church, a visible community. It 
is a means to the spiritual kingdom, and may 
cease when the end is reached. When that time 
comes, we shall doubtless receive due notice. A 
little attention will reveal the fact that the in- 
disposition to recognize anything as the successor 
to the covenant act under the Mosaic dispensation; 

19 



Baptism 

betrays the absence of strong, constructive, and 
conserving elements. Baptism, like circumcision, 
meant not salvation, though favorable conditions 
thereto are implied, but in a true and special sense, 
introduction into a new community, having as its 
purpose the salvation of men and the worship of 
God. 

If the church in all the ages, in a very real 
sense, is one, and if in the Jewish period circum- 
cision was the initiatory rite or the sign of a cov- 
enant place in the congregation of God's people, 
how is it that in the Christian period baptism has 
come to take the place of the earlier rite ? An an- 
swer to this question should solve many of the 
difficulties that rise in connection with the sub- 
ject of baptism. In entering on our inquiry, we 
may take, for the present purpose, as our defini- 
tion of baptism, the statement of the Westminster 
Shorter Catechism: "Baptism is a sacrament, 
wherein the washing with water, in the name of 
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, 
doth signify and seal our engrafting into Christ, 
and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of 
grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's." The 
simplest idea is a ceremonial washing with water, 

20 



Baptism 

whether by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling. It 
had its type in the various lustrations, or cere- 
monial washings, of the Jews from the time of 
the giving of the law. Ceremonial purifications 
and circumcision stand side by side, the latter 
signifying largely, though not wholly, outward re- 
lations, and the former signifying inward character 
or promoting the development of spiritual ideas. 
Even in Jewish times these ceremonial washings 
had a growing importance and had assumed a spe- 
cial character, so that in the new era created by 
Christ, and heralded by John, his forerunner, the 
ceremonial washing with water itself underwent 
certain modifications, and it, besides fulfilling its 
own office, had transferred to it the office formerly 
performed by circumcision. The many washings 
ceased, and the one washing, signifying the new 
creature in Christ, was handed down as the one 
token and memorial. Circumcision ceased with 
the age of preponderating externalities, and bap- 
tism, emphasizing spiritual character and rela- 
tionships, became the covenant sign. The suit- 
ability of baptism as the token of the church 
of the new dispensation is made evident by 
many considerations, some of which have been 

21 



Baptism 

named. It was suitable that, in the age char- 
acterized specially by spiritual verities and recog- 
nition of individual character, the new sign should 
be taken and become exclusive, yet not so as to 
fail to preserve that which in the earlier rite had 
a continued meaning in the Christian dispensa- 
tion. Outward and visible elements could not be 
wholly left behind, and baptism must suit itself 
to such demands as are permanent. 

In vindication of this view as to the antecedent 
or internal history and development of baptism, 
the Scriptures may be appealed to. In the New 
Testament, the earlier purifications by water are 
called baptisms. "Which was a figure for the 
time then present, in which were offered both gifts 
and sacrifices, that could not make him that did 
the service perfect, as pertaining to the con- 
science; which stood only in meats and drinks, 
and divers washings [baptisms], and carnal or- 
dinances, imposed on them until the time of ref- 
ormation" (Heb. 9 : 9, 10). In the directions for 
the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the 
priesthood, the Lord said, "And Aaron and his 
sons thou shalt bring into the door of the taber- 
nacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them 



Baptism 

with water" (Ex. 29 : 4). A part of the direction 
for the setting apart of the Levites for their sacred 
work was the following : "Take the Levites from 
among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. 
And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse 
them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, 
and let them shave all their flesh, and let them 
wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean" 
(Num. 8:6, 7). 

All other purifications are best understood by- 
taking notice of the law of purification for touch- 
ing a dead body and for kindred defilements. 
"And for an unclean person they shall take of the 
ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, 
and running water shall be put thereto in a ves- 
sel : and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip 
it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and 
upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that 
were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or 
one slain, or one dead, or a grave: . . . But 
the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify 
himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the 
congregation . . . the water of separation 
hath not been sprinkled upon him" (Num. 19: 
17^20). The frequent reference to purification 

23 



Baptism 

by sprinkling water on persons, and things asso- 
ciated with them, has an important bearing on 
mode of baptism as later practiced. Attention 
will be called to this in another chapter. On great 
special occasions, as the giving of the law (Heb. 
11:19), and on stated occasions, purification by 
water was used. The sprinkling of water as a 
rite of purification is often spoken of. "Then 
will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall 
be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all 
your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also 
will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within 
you" (Ezek. 36: 25, 26). David said, "Purge me 
with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and 
I shall be whiter than snow" (Ps. 51:7). "So 
shall he sprinkle many nations" (Ps. 52:15). 
"For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the 
ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sancti- 
fieth to the purifying of the flesh," etc. (Heb. 9 : 
13). The last passage refers to the general law 
for ceremonial cleansing, which was at the basis 
for the many washings and sprinklings through 
the Old Testament period. The water was taken 
from a running stream, was therefore living water, 
and receiving the ashes of the burnt offering com- 

24 



Baptism 

bined the ideas of sacrifice and cleansing. If there 
is a scarlet thread that runs all through the Old 
Testament, there is also a clear stream of living 
water flowing down through all its sacred pages. 
We should greatly err, if we should not see, be- 
yond the ceremonial purification, spiritual renewal 
and an education in spiritual things. It would 
be too much to expect that weak and fallen hu- 
man nature should not, in many cases, stop in 
empty forms, endlessly multiplied to make up, if 
so it might be, for their felt barrenness. The New 
Testament leaves no doubt as to this vain and re- 
pugnant formalism. 

These ceremonial sprinklings and washings, 
both of the truer and of the perverted kind, came 
to take the name "baptism," a term specially de- 
veloped and suited to this use. The Greek ver- 
sion of the Old Testament dating from the third 
century before Christ, in two passages from the 
apocryphal books, clearly exhibits this. Judith, 
a Jewess, was in the camp of the Assyrians. The 
account of her request of the Assyrian general and 
her action is given, as follows: "Let my lord 
now command that thy handmaid may go forth 
unto prayer. Then Holofernes commanded his 

25 



Baptism 

guard that they should not stay her. Thus she 
abode in the camp three days and went out in 
the night into the valley of Bethulia and washed 
[baptized] herself at a fountain of water by the 
camp" (Judith 12: 6, 7). This was undoubtedly 
a ceremonial purification by sprinkling or pour- 
ing by her own hand or that of her servant. The 
important point is that it was called baptism. The 
second passage from the apocrypha is the follow- 
ing : "He who is washed [baptized] from a corpse, 
if he touch it again, what availeth his washing 
[baptism] ?" ( Ecclesiasticus 34 : 25 ) . This so 
plainly refers to the general law for purifications, 
which has already been referred to, that of the 
nature and the manner of the baptism we have 
no doubt. 

Josephus, writing in the first Christian century, 
says, "For those defiled by a dead body, they cast 
a little of the ashes and a hyssop branch into a 
spring, and baptizing with the ashes put into the 
spring, they sprinkled both on the third and sev- 
enth of the days, and after that they were clean." 
Words preceding this language show even more 
fully the nature of the ceremonial cleansing to 
which the word "baptism" is applied. A passage 

26 



Baptism 

in the writings of Philo, a senior contemporary of 
Christ, is so definite that it must not be omitted : 
Nearly all other persons are besprinkled with 
pure water, generally in the sea, some in rivers, 
and others again in vessels of water which they 
draw from fountains. But Moses having previ- 
ously prepared ashes which had been left from 
the sacred fire, (and in what manner shall be ex- 
plained hereafter,) appointed that it should be 
right to take some of them, and to put them in 
a vessel, and then to pour water over them, and 
then, dipping some branches of hyssop in the mix- 
ture of ashes and water, to sprinkle it over those 
who were to be purified." The reference to the 
manner in which nearly all other persons were 
sprinkled, or baptized, reminds of the fact that the 
Gentile nations, as well as the Jews, had their 
purifications by water. On Gentile washings, and 
for additional examples of Jewish washings, see 
the "Mystery of Baptism/' by Axtell. 

One example out of several in the New Testa- 
ment, in which the term, "baptism," is given to 
ceremonial washings may be given, "For the 
Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their 
hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the 

27 



Baptism 

elders. And when they come from the market, 
except they wash [baptize themselves] they eat 
not. And many other things there be, which they 
have received to hold, as the washing [baptisms] 
of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables" 
(Mark 7:3, 4). The only new thing in this pas- 
sage is the extent to which the baptisms are car- 
ried, the character and extent of the Pharisaic ad- 
ditions. 

The baptism of proselytes to Judaism doubtless 
sprang out of the prescribed ceremonial cleans- 
ings. Authorities are pretty equally divided as to 
whether there was such a thing as proselyte bap- 
tism at the time of Christ. Some say that there 
was, and that it was by immersion; others add 
that the children in the families of proselytes were 
also baptized. In times somewhat later, all of this 
was true. The immersion was performed by the 
candidate's standing in water up to his neck and 
plunging his own head under the water. Circum- 
cision was, of course, continued, but the baptism 
of proselytes was given very great importance. 
Probably at the time of Christ there was a bap- 
tism of proselytes by sprinkling or pouring, much 
after the manner of the prescribed ceremonial 

28 



Baptism 

sanctifications, and it may, as some claim, date 
back to the Babylonian captivity. 

What has been said in reference to the use of 
water in Jewish purifications, in the first place 
according to the law, and later with Pharisaic ad- 
ditions, prepares the way for understanding bap- 
tism as brought forward in the work of John the 
Baptist. A multitude of sprinklings and wash- 
ings denominated baptisms, likely also a special 
but analogous rite connected with the reception 
of proselytes to Judaism, were forerunners for 
John, the forerunner of Christ ; otherwise, the suc- 
cess of John would have no sufficient explanation. 
Antecedent elements would incline us to think of 
the baptism of John as by sprinkling or pouring. 
The hyssop or the bowl would meet the case 
equally well. John was himself a priest. His 
work was to preach repentance and to sanctify the 
people for the coming and work of Christ. The 
ceremonial act betokened the inward change. 

Christ, in his receiving baptism at the hands of 
John, was ceremonially sanctified for his work. 
Likewise, he fulfilled and brought to a close the 
long series of typical washings, save as by his own 
appointment he gave to baptism a new significance 

29 



Baptism 

and a permanent place in his church. He fulfilled 
all righteousness. 

The study of the nature of baptism should bring 
us to a new sense of its claims upon us. The loss 
to the individual believer and to the kingdom of 
Christ from the neglect of baptism might easily 
be inferred. Obedience in this act is a step to 
further obedience. By it personal faith becomes 
more real and firm. By giving baptism its proper 
place, the fact of separation between the church 
and the world is made prominent, and the work 
of evangelization is promoted. When men cease to 
humor their own natural wayward tempers, obedi- 
ence in the divine ordinance of baptism will as- 
sume new beauty and attractiveness. What more 
beautiful words could be said of any persons, es- 
pecially of parents, than the words spoken of 
Zacharias and Elizabeth ? "They were both right- 
eous before God, walking in all the command- 
ments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" 
(Luke 1:6). Love will not hesitate to walk in 
the way commanded by Christ and hallowed by his 
example. 

Those not baptized in infancy should not un- 
necessarily delay baptism after their exercise of 

30 



Baptism 

faith in Christ. The Scriptures always enforce or 
imply immediate action. In our day, various acts, 
as oral testimony* or a written declaration, or some 
other simple outward act may, for the moment, 
meet requirements, be what immediate baptism 
was in the special conditions and circumstances 
of the early church; but these acts or expressions 
should not for an indefinite time take the place 
of baptism. The church of to-day must not cease 
to be Christian by ceasing to be apostolic. Un- 
doubtedly the neglect of baptism in many cases, 
as well as the failure to secure the full benefit of 
it in other cases, is due in large part to the low 
conceptions, weak convictions, and want of faith- 
fulness on the part of Christian ministers. The 
ordaining to the ministry, while not a sacrament, 
is a solemn rite, and has its significance largely 
as conveying authority to administer the sacra- 
ments. Yet, judging by remarks often heard, 
many candidates for ordination think very much 
more of the authority to solemnize marriages than 
they do of the authoritv to administer the sacra- 
ments. On the part of many ministers, little at- 
tention is given to the subject of baptism till it 
is crowded upon them, and then the attention 

31 



Baptism 

given is not intelligent or sympathetic. Many 
abuses have come in, in connection with the ideas 
of the church, of orders, and of office, yet church- 
liness, orderliness, and obedience still rank as 
qualities that are worthy. 

It may be proper and advantageous to notice 
some of the errors in regard to baptism that have 
marred and hindered the church in the course of 
its history. The Eoman Catholic error is the 
grossest. It makes baptism one of the seven sac- 
raments, all of which of themselves are said to 
work out a spiritual benefit, so to speak, to work 
magically. The sacraments are in the hands of 
the priests. This doctrine is what gives to the 
Eoman Church its despotic power. Baptismal re- 
generation, along with various attendant errors, 
is included in the doctrine of the Eoman Church. 

Some other churches share in these views, or 
sympathize with them in greater or less part. 
That baptism is an "instrument of grace," as ex- 
pressed by a leading authority, "is the view of the 
Eoman and Eastern churches and of one (the 
Hi^h Church) party of the Protestant Episcopal 
and [most of] the Lutheran churches. Nearly the 
same view is held by the Disciples of Christ 

32 



Baptism 

(Campbellites) who regard baptism as the remit- 
ting ordinance of the gospel." Those who hold 
the extreme doctrine of baptismal regeneration, or 
the doctrine, so to speak, of baptismal justification, 
support the same by many Scripture passages, in 
which regeneration or justification is connected 
with baptism, overlooking the many passages in 
which the spiritual act or attitude of the subject of 
salvation is expressly made the condition of spir- 
itual benefits. The coupling of baptism with these 
benefits in many passages of scripture was be- 
cause, historically, in the circumstances in which 
the gospel was first proclaimed, it usually stood 
in close connection with them. The error in 
thought or language, thus, of many of the church 
fathers is easily explained. 

The Quakers do not regard water baptism as 
obligatory after Christianity had separated from 
the Jewish form. The words in which Christ in- 
stituted the ordinance and many statements in 
the various books of the New Testament plainly 
show that baptism was designed to be universal 
and permanent. 

While the origin of the Anabaptists was due to a 
revolt against the doctrine of baptismal regenera- 

3 33 



Baptism 

tion and the various superstitions and tyrannies 
of the times, it is in some cases a serious ques- 
tion whether "believers' baptism/' as it is called, 
is not characterized, in some cases, with much of 
the superstition and intolerance of the system at 
first opposed. It is a nice point to appreciate 
baptism for what it is, and to avoid making it 
what the brazen serpent came to be to the blinded 
Jews. 

After noticing grave errors, is it too light a 
thing to call attention to the pronunciation, bab- 
tism, used by many persons? Unintelligent and 
unappreciative elements may stand close together 
under this faulty pronunciation. Dr. L. Davis, 
who frequently heard Dr. Alexander Campbell 
preach, often referred to the winsomeness on his 
lips of the word baptism. 



S4 



CHAPTER II. 
Mode of Baptism. 

The consideration of the mode of baptism has 
importance, because of the interest and merit of 
the subject itself, and also because of the distrac- 
tion and discredit brought to the church by contro- 
versies on the subject. 

Three general positions are taken : The first is 
that immersion is the only legitimate and valid 
mode. The second is that affusion, or the appli- 
cation of the water to the person by sprinkling 
or pouring, is the proper mode, many holding that 
it may, by ecclesiastical authority or by the admin- 
istrators of it, be made the exclusive mode. Most 
persons who hold strictly to this position concede 
that by right, or in charity, immersion is to be 
regarded as valid baptism. The third position is 
that liberty as to the mode of baptism is to be 
recognized, the subject of baptism having the right 
to determine the mode for himself. It will be 

35 



Baptism 

seen that the examination of the first position will 
bring almost every feature and point bearing on 
the mode under consideration. 

The Greek verb baptizo (pam-ifa) , which is trans- 
lated into the English word "baptize," or, more 
properly, is simply transferred into the English 
language, is used by immersionists as in itself a 
conclusive argument for their position. They say 
that the word means mode, and nothing but mode 
— to dip. Those wishing to study the use of the 
term at length are referred to the thorough treat- 
ment given by Dr. James W. Dale, in his work on 
"Classic Baptism." A brief statement must suf- 
fice here. The verb baptizo (pairrifa) is derived 
from the simpler verb bapto (/?d7rr«). It is used 
to express a higher, stronger, or more distinctive 
meaning. It is the only word with which ritual 
baptism is directly concerned. Yet certain pur- 
poses may be served by considering briefly the 
primitive verb. 

The word bapto, starting with the meaning, to 
dip, came to mean, also, to dye, to stain, to temper, 
to tincture, etc. In some of its uses it denoted a 
result without reference to means or mode of ac- 
tion. The word baptizo, starting with the primary 

3G 






Baptism 

meaning of bapto, to dip, came to mean, to sink, 
to drown, to saturate, to incrust, to stupefy, to in- 
toxicate, to destroy, to exert any controlling influ- 
ence. To a greater extent than bapto it indicates 
a result without reference to means or mode of 
action. Dr. William Hamilton says, "In second- 
ary use, baptizo expresses condition, the result of 
complete influence effected by any possible means 
and in any conceivable way." We have not only in 
classical Greek a progressive meaning and use 
from bapto, "to baptize," but in passing from 
classical Greek to the Greek used by the Jews and 
in the New Testament, there is a further progress. 
New ideas and higher realities compelled old words 
to take a new meaning. The expansive and trans- 
forming power of a new vital force has its ex- 
amples in every department of literature. The 
word baptizo was the best-suited word for cere- 
monial cleansing that classic Greek furnished, and 
the Jews and then the Christians took it and used 
it for their purpose and in the sense that their 
use required. No violence was used, or unusual 
liberty taken, as the various classic meanings of 
baptizo will show, in using the term for any form 
of ceremonial purification in which water was 

37 



Baptism 

used. Even the classic writers use the term with 
such latitude as to include baptizing with tears, 
or with dew. 

In showing that the word baptizo, as used by 
Jews and Christians, did not of itself denote im- 
mersion, many examples and proofs may be 
brought forward. The first evidence is in that 
among the Jews first and the Christians later, 
baptism was a ceremonial purification which was 
performed by sprinkling. The nature of this puri- 
fication has already been noticed. The fact that 
these purifications by sprinkling are called bap- 
tisms has also been shown by New Testament 
usage (Mark 7:3, 4; Heb. 9: 10) and a passage 
from Josephus, as well as by two references from 
the apocrypha as given in the Septuagint. The 
description of these purifications in Hebrews, and 
in the writings of Philo, show that sprinkling was 
the mode used in purifications. It is not the word 
baptizo, but the fact that baptism is the outgrowth 
and successor of the Jewish purifications, that has 
the most direct bearing on mode. The word itself 
is not decisive as to mode. The English Bible, 
therefore, wisely transfers the term in its general 
sense. Its use has been compared to the use of 

38 



Baptism 

the word "kill," which expresses a condition or 
result, but does not indicate means or mode. To 
kill one's self is suicide ; to kill with malice is mur- 
der; to kill under authority of law is to execute. 
To translate baptizo, in classic usage, by immer- 
sion in some cases is legitimate, in other cases vio- 
lent, and in others ridiculous. Even if a single 
primary meaning could be found, "to dip," for 
example, only extreme hardihood would refuse to 
consider the possibility of a secondary meaning 
differing more or less, especially under the dis- 
tinctive requirements of Judaism and Christianity. 

The baptism of the people unto Moses in the 
cloud and in the sea was an initiation, a commit- 
ting unto Moses. (I. Cor. 10: 1, 2.) The cloud 
was above, but only by imagination was the sea 
beneath. The example would best be represented 
by pouring, the candidate standing in the margin 
of the stream or pool as the rite of baptism is per- 
formed. 

The connections, in the Scriptures, in which the 
term, "baptize," is used are next relied on by im- 
mersionists to prove their position. In examining 
the passages of scripture brought forward by them, 
the aim should be to ascertain whether the inter- 

39 



Baptism 

pretation given by them is the natural and neces- 
sary one. It is recorded that John baptized "in 
the river Jordan" (Mark 1:5). But in the verse 
preceding, it is said he baptized "in the wilder- 
ness," the same preposition being used in Greek 
and in English. The word translated "in" is 
many times translated "at," sometimes "by" (I. 
Cor. 12: 13), or "with," as with water, with fire, 
with the Holy Ghost. "John indeed baptized with 
water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy 
Ghost" (Acts 11:16). "John answered, saying 
unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; 
. . . he [Christ] shall baptize you with the 
Holy Ghost and with fire" (Luke 3: 16). "I in- 
deed baptize you with water ... he [Christ] 
shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with 
fire" (Matt. 3:11). In the passages just given, 
"with water," where the preposition is not itali- 
cized, is rendered from the Greek instrumental 
dative without a preposition, the meaning being 
the same as in the form where the preposition 
is used. 

It might be thought that John's baptizing at 
the Jordan is an argument for immersion. This 
might be accounted for by John's being a man 

40 



Baptism 

of the wilderness and naturally resorting to out- 
side sources for water, or the partiality indicated 
in the Scriptures for living water for ceremonial 
cleansing. The same explanation could be given 
for his going to Enon, where there was "much 
water' (many springs). 

If the "in Jordan" should still be pressed, it 
might be harmonized with the idea of the candi- 
date's standing in the margin of the stream, John 
perhaps with them, to be away from the crowd on 
the shore. The early pictures in the catacombs, 
some of them dating from the close of the second 
century, all represent the candidate as standing 
in the shallow water and the baptizer standing on 
the shore. In two instances, the baptizer has his 
hand on the head of a boy ; in one of the instances 
a spray of water encompassing the boy's head. In 
the church of St. John at Eavenna, dating from 
about 450 A. D., Christ is represented as stand- 
ing in the Jordan, the water reaching to the waist, 
and the Baptist standing near, as if on the bank, 
pouring water from a shell or some small vessel 
upon Christ's head. It is recorded that Christ 
"went up straightway out of the water" (Matt. 
3:16). The Revised Version says, however, "went 

41 



Baptism 

up straightway from the water." In some cases, 
at least, this is the only meaning that the original 
preposition will bear. 

The baptism of the enmich by Philip is brought 
forward as an evidence for immersion. The lan- 
guage, they "went down both into the water" and 
"came up out of the water" (Acts 8: 38, 39) 
might be translated, "went down to the water" and 
"came from the water." The first of the original 
prepositions is rendered in the English Version by 
"to" about four hundred times, and the second is 
rendered by "from" about two hundred times. 
But the words, even as in the English Version, 
do not necessarily imply immersion. If John's 
baptism might have been by sprinkling or pour- 
ing, the mode might have been the same in this 
case. In our day there are examples of baptizing 
by pouring, the baptizer and the candidate stand- 
ing ankle-deep, knee-deep, or waist-deep in the 
water. If the language, going down into the wa- 
ter and coming up out of the water, means im- 
mersion, both Philip and the eunuch must have 
been immersed. 

Perhaps the passages most completely relied on 
by immersionists to prove their position are the 

42 



Baptism 

two passages containing the words "buried with 
him by baptism" (Kom. 6:4) and "buried with 
him in baptism" (Col. 2:12). The second pas- 
sage might as well be rendered in the identical 
terms of the first. Many seem to think that the 
burying has reference to being placed beneath the 
water, whereas it has reference to being placed 
in Christ's tomb. The baptism, whatever form 
may be used, is a baptizing not only ritually, but 
really into Christ, so that in a figure the believer 
goes with him unto death, and into the grave, and 
comes forth with him in a resurrection into new- 
ness of life, and will finally stand with him in 
glory. In his death we have hope of life. As in 
his grave sin and the evil self shall ever remain, 
in his resurrection the new man shall appear. All 
depends on our being united with him not simply 
by baptism ritually, but "through the faith" 
really. 

It is claimed that the fact that baptism is a 
sign of regeneration establishes the propriety or 
necessity of immersion as the mode. The symbol- 
izing of regeneration as a purification may just as 
truly be by water applied to the person as by 
immersion. But baptism does not symbolize 

43 



Baptism 

simply the fact of a making new, but also the work 
of the Spirit as the agent in regeneration. This 
work is appropriately set forth by sprinkling or 
pouring. "And it shall come to pass afterward, 
that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh" 
(Joel 2: 28). "And on my servants and on my 
handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my 
Spirit" (Acts 2: 18). "Because that on the Gen- 
tiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy 
Ghost" (Acts 10:45). 

That immersion was not the exclusive mode of 
baptism, if, indeed, it was practiced at all, may 
be inferred or argued from a number of references 
in the Scriptures. "Then went out to him [John] 
Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region 
round about Jordan, and were baptized of him 
in Jordan, confessing their sins" (Matt. 3:5, 6). 
While various explanations and suppositions are 
put forward to show that this baptism might have 
been by immersion, the very numbers who came 
make the idea improbable. The physical feat 
would have overshadowed the spiritual signifi- 
cance. The idea of the people going out into the 
stream and dipping their own heads under the 
water, as was the case in later proselyte baptism, 

44 



Baptism 

and in some well-known cases of Christian bap- 
tism, is most unlikely. The language, "in Jor- 
dan/' as before indicated, might mean at Jordan, 
or that the subjects of baptism stood in the water 
and were baptized by pouring or by sprinkling, 
either singly or in companies. "Then they that 
gladly received the word were baptized: and the 
same day there were added unto them about three 
thousand souls" (Acts 2 : 41) . Here the difficulty 
from numbers is again present, with the added 
circumstance that at Jerusalem there was no large 
body of water. Jerusalem was well supplied with 
pools and cisterns, but it is difficult to believe that 
conditions would have favored their use for im- 
mersion on such a scale. 

"Can any man forbid water, that these should 
not be baptized which have received the Holy 
Ghost as well as we?" (Acts 10:47.) The Ke- 
vised Version says, "forbid the water." The nat- 
ural meaning seems to be, "forbid the water," as 
something that was to be brought, referring also 
to what was an understood custom. The language 
is that of Peter, the chief of the apostles, spoken 
when the family of Cornelius, the first Gentile 
converts, were received into the Christian church, 



Baptism 

and has therefore special significance. Besides, it 
is wholly improbable that in the house of Cor- 
nelius there would have been suitable provisions 
for immersion. It is to be noticed, too, that in 
this case the act of baptism was suggested by the 
gift of the Holy Ghost, and was significant of this, 
pouring or sprinkling thus being more appropriate 
than immersion. 

The account of the conversion and baptism of 
the Philippian jailer "and all his" does not favor 
the idea of immersion. The baptism was in the 
house and occurred before day and without time 
for preparation. The baptism of Paul, as al- 
leged by some, was performed while he was stand- 
ing. (Acts 9:18.) The references in the Gos- 
pels and Acts to baptizing with water, with fire, 
with the Holy Ghost, are not consistent with im- 
mersion; neither are the baptisms referred to in 
the seventh chapter of Mark, fourth verse. The 
important thing is, not that we be baptized into 
water, but into the name of the Lord Jesus. 

We may now turn to the question of mode, as 
presented in the light of church history. For a 
long period extending to the recent past, writers 
of church history gave testimony that was wel- 

46 



Baptism 

coined and eagerly employed by the advocates of 
immersion. This was because as far back as 
church history had been able to go, immersion, in 
the threefold form, however, was found to be the 
mode in use. From this it was argued that immer- 
sion was the original mode ; that, in consequence, 
it must be the only legitimate mode for all time. 

When, in 1873, the "Teaching of the Twelve 
Apostles" was discovered, and, in 1883, published 
to the world, the darkness which church historians 
had before been unable to penetrate was in a meas- 
ure removed. This ancient manuscript dates 
from near the beginning of the second century, 
and discloses the fact that, while at that time im- 
mersion in the threefold form was the prevalent 
and preferred form, other forms were recognized 
as equally valid. Clinic baptism, in which damp- 
ened sheets were placed about the sick, had been 
viewed as an argument for immersion. In the,j 
early church it was regarded as of doubtful 
validity; but the "Teaching" shows that there 
was no question at the early time in which it was 
written as to the validity of affusion, and that it 
had a standing for itself, and not simply as im- 
mersion. 

47 



Baptism 

The language of the "Teaching" is: "As regards 
baptism, baptize in this manner : Having given all 
of the preceding instruction, baptize into the name 
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
Spirit in living [running] water. But if thou 
hast not living water, baptize into other water, 
and if thou canst not in cold, [then] in warm 
[water] . But if thou hast neither, [neither run- 
ning nor standing, neither cold nor warm, in suf- 
ficient quantity for immersion,] pour water on the 
head three times into the name of Father and 
Son and Holy Spirit." The language that fol- 
lows shows that already at this time "additions 
were being made to the simple rite as first given : 
"But before baptism let the baptizer and the can- 
didate for baptism fast, and any others who can, 
and thou shalt command him who is to be baptized 
to fast one or two days before." 

The next oldest description handed down to us 
of baptism is by Justin Martyr, who wrote about 
140 A. D. It is as follows: "As many as are 
persuaded and believe that the things taught and 
spoken by us are true, and promise to live accord- 
ingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God 
with fasting for the remission of their past sins, 

48 



Baptism 

while we at the same time pray and fast with 
them. Then they are brought by us to a place 
where there is water and are regenerated in the 
same manner in which we ourselves were regen- 
erated. For in the name of the Father and Lord 
of the whole universe, and of our Saviour, Jesus 
Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive 
the washing with water. For Christ also said, 
'Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter the 
kingdom of heaven/ " There is little doubt that 
the mode of baptism referred to by Justin Martyr 
was immersion. 

Single immersion was introduced in the fourth 
century, but was condemned by the church. The 
Apostolic Constitutions say, "If any bishop or pres- 
byter does not perform the three immersions, but 
only one immersion, let him be deposed/' Single 
immersion, while not favored, obtained recogni- 
tion by the close of the sixth century. The his- 
torians who have held to the idea of immersion as 
the earliest mode of baptism have always been 
puzzled by the representations of pouring in the 
earliest pictures of baptisms and by the small 
size, too small for immersions, of the baptismal 
fonts in some of the earliest church edifices. 

4 49 



Baptism 

From the ninth to the thirteenth century, 
sprinkling grew from occasional use to be the gen- 
eral practice. In England, however, the change 
did not take place till several centuries later. 
Convenience, especially in connection with the 
baptism of children, the conversion of the north- 
ern nations, the growing rarity of adult bap- 
tisms, and a sentiment of liberality kindred to that 
of the early church, seem to have been the govern- 
ing considerations in bringing about the change 
of mode. 

In case affusion, growing out of the system of 
Jewish ceremonial purifications, was the mode of 
baptism used by John and continued by Christ and 
the apostles, what explanation can be given for so 
complete and general a change as, in that event, 
took place within the first two centuries? Two 
lines of causation or influence are named, the one 
a tendency within the church toward a broader 
ceremonialism, the other the powerful influence of 
Gentile ideas and customs. The tendency to at- 
tribute a supernatural influence to the water of 
baptism appears in the writings of the earliest of 
the apostolic fathers. Soon the cross was regarded 
as joined to the water. Justin speaks of water 

50 



Baptism 

baptism as regeneration. Tertullian speaks of 
all waters, after invocation of God, attaining 
"the sacramental power of sanctification." Super- 
stitious rites were used in consecrating the mys- 
tical water. The Apostolic Constitutions say of 
the candidates, "Thou shalt anoint them [before 
and after] and thou shalt dip them in the water." 
"This baptism, therefore, is given into the death 
of Jesus; the water is instead of the burial, and 
the oil is instead of the Holy Ghost, the seal is 
instead of the cross." 

The tendency to multiply and exaggerate out- 
ward forms led, according to this view, not only 
to immersion and then triune immersion, hut to 
a multitude of attendant elements, such as the 
anointing of the water, the ceremony of renounc- 
ing Satan, exorcism, an unction before and after 
baptism, the unclothing of the candidates, the kiss, 
the use of lights, the wearing of white garments, 
the twisted thread, tasting of milk and honey and 
also salt, washing of feet, etc. From such a trop- 
ical ceremonial we are forced to go back to a 
simpler beginning, in which the central thing, the 
use of water, must have been much less elaborate 
and spectacular. 

51 



Baptism 

But we are not left in ignorance of the great 
influence exerted from Gentile sources, and the 
tendency of the church to give it place. We must 
remember that the church itself was made up 
mostly of a recent and constant influx of converts 
from heathenism. They naturally brought some 
of their ideas and customs with them. The name 
of Gregory the Great stands connected with the 
policy of accepting native customs and giving 
them a Christian significance. Baronius wrote: 
"It was permitted the church to transfer to pious 
uses those ceremonies which the pagans had wick- 
edly applied to a superstitious worship, after hav- 
ing purified them by consecration." But did the 
Gentiles have those elements that could have been' 
incorporated into the overgrown ritual of bap- 
tism? 

As is well known, the Eleusinian mysteries cele- 
brated at Athens and Eleusis were the most an- 
cient, sacred, and awe-inspiring of all Greek rites. 
Later, they were celebrated in various cities. The 
celebration extended through nine days. On the 
second day those to be initiated went in solemii 
procession to the seacoast, where they underwent 
purification. Two rivulets are referred to as a 

52 



, 



Baptism 

place to which candidates for initiation went in 
order to be purified. Gentile purifications in- 
cluded both dipping and affusion. Dr. Axtell, in 
his work on "The Mystery of Baptism," brings to- 
gether various testimonies as to the nature and 
prevalence of Gentile purifications, and also tes- 
timony as to the influence of these within the 
church. He says, "The desire to be completely 
cleansed and the desire to excel the heathen cere- 
monies, brought in dipping, and then trine im- 
mersions and many other Gentile rites." 

Justin Martyr seeks to maintain the preemi- 
nence of Christian baptism by indicating that 
Gentile baptisms were stolen from the prophets or 
counterfeited by devils. Tertullian frankly con- 
fesses to an enlargement of the ritual of baptism. 
After claiming tradition as an authority for vari- 
ous practices, he says : "To deal with this matter 
briefly, I shall begin with baptism. When we are 
going to enter the water, but a little before, in 
the presence of the congregation and under the 
hand of the president, we solemnly profess that 
we disown the devil, and his pomp, and his angels. 
Hereupon we are thrice immersed, making a some- 
what ampler pledge than the Lord has appointed 

53 



Baptism 

in the Gospel. Then when we are taken up we 
taste first of all a mixture of milk and honey ." 
He then speaks of "offerings for the dead as birth- 
day honors," of pain when any wine or bread from 
the sacrament of the eucharist is cast to the 
ground, and the using of the sign of the cross on 
every occasion. He then says, "If for these and 
other such rules you insist upon having positive 
Scripture injunction, you will find none. Tradi- 
tion will be held forth to you as the originator of 
them, custom as their strengthened and faith as 
their observer." 

In one of his dialogues, Jerome makes a noted 
bishop, after referring to certain customs, to say: 
"Many other observances of the churches, which 
are due to tradition, have acquired the authority 
of the written law, as for instance, the practice of 
dipping the head three times in the laver, and 
then, after leaving the water, of tasting mingled 
milk and honey in representation of infancy, and 
again the practices of standing up in worship on 
the Lord's day, and ceasing from fasting every 
Pentecost; and there are many other unwritten 
practices which have won their place through rea- 
son and custom." 

54 



Baptism 

Basil says: "Moreover we bless the water of 
baptism and the oil of the chrism, and besides 
this the catechumen who is being baptized. On 
what written authority do we do this ? Is not our 
authority silent and mystical tradition? Nay, by 
what written word is the anointing of oil itself 
taught? And whence comes the custom of bap- 
tizing thrice? And as to the other customs of 
baptism, from what Scripture do we derive the re- 
nunciation of Satan and his angels? Does not 
this come from that unpublished and secret teach- 
ing which our fathers guarded in a silence out of 
the reach of curious meddling and inquisitive in- 
vestigation ?" But notwithstanding the tendency 
toward ceremonialism in the church and the in- 
fluences from Gentile sources, there remained what 
seem to be evidences of affusion, as the earlier 
form of baptism. Cyprian, speaking of clinic bap- 
tism, said, "Whence it appears that the sprinkling 
also of water prevails equally with the washing of 
salvation." Some of the early versions of the 
Scriptures, the custom of some of the schismatic 
churches of the East, early Christian art and 
expressions and examples here and there, give 
countenance to the antiquity of affusion. 

55 



Baptism 

Athanasius, when a youth, in play baptized a 
number of his fellows. According to Rufinus, 
"when the bishop found that all things had been 
duly performed according to the observances of 
religion/' and "as water had been poured upon 
these persons/' their baptism was held as valid 
and ought not to be repealed. 

But church history has shed new light on the 
mode of baptism in the more modern period. It 
was claimed, though the contrary was asserted by 
responsible historians, that the Anabaptist sects, 
those rebaptizing on the profession of faith, ap- 
pearing in different countries in the time immedi- 
ately following the Reformation, baptized inva- 
riably by immersion. It was claimed that the 
Mennonites, an Anabaptist sect who now baptize 
by affusion, had at some time changed their mode 
of baptism ; but this position has been sufficiently 
disproved. It has been proved that the Anabap- 
tists were not at first concerned with the mode 
of baptism. Perhaps the Collegiants of Holland, 
in the early part of the seventeenth century, were 
among the first to resort to immersion. They were 
called Rhynsburgers, from their custom of holding 
meetings twice a year at Rhynsburg on the Rhine. 

56 



Baptism 

A great shock came when Doctor Whitsit, presi- 
dent of the Southern Baptist Theological Semi- 
nary, at Louisville, Kentucky, discovered, about 
1877, that the English Baptists had baptized by 
sprinkling until about 1641, when they changed 
to immersion. In their mode of baptism, they 
reflected the custom long prevalent on the conti- 
nent of Europe rather than the mode in England, 
where immersion yet lingered. Eoger Williams 
was, therefore, probably not immersed at his re- 
baptism. The answer to Doctor Whitsit was the 
charge of denominational disloyalty. Despite the 
fact that competent scholars, leading Baptists 
among them, confirmed the position taken by him, 
the opposition became such that he was compelled 
to relinquish his place in the theological seminary. 

It is, therefore, evident that the position that 
immersion is the only authorized and valid mode 
of baptism is not made out. The classic use of 
the verb baptizo does not require or favor a sense 
so' restricted. The references in the New Testa- 
ment most favorable to such a view do not require 
such limitations. Other passages cannot, without 
violence, be harmonized with the unvarying rule 
of immersion. The earliest light from church his- 

57 



Baptism 

tory, as shown in the "Teaching," shows that im- 
mersion was the prevalent mode, but that it was 
not regarded as the only valid mode. The investi- 
gations of historians into the mediaeval period and 
the immediate post-Keformation period, both as 
respects the church in general and the various 
sects, gives little support to the claims made for 
exclusive immersion. 

Immersion may be regarded as valid baptism, 
and may be treated with great respect, without its 
being exalted to the place of exclusive validity. 
It deserves to be stated that many persons, emi- 
nent scholars among them, who believe from exe- 
getical or historical considerations that immer- 
sion was the primitive mode, yet in their practice 
and teaching favor other modes. They believe 
that if mode were important, it would have been 
set forth in such a way as to put the particular 
mode beyond question. They believe that the 
principles of things are given in the teachings of 
Christ, but, beyond a limited number of necessary 
commands, that rules, modes, and limitations are 
left, in the various exigencies that may arise, to the 
discernment of the church under the guiding of 
the Spirit. 

58 






Baptism 

The second position before indicated is that af- 
fusion, or baptism by sprinkling or pouring, is 
the proper mode, and that it may be made, by ec- 
clesiastical authority or by those who administer 
it, the exclusive mode. So far as theory is con- 
cerned, little is brought forward in favor of this 
position; but practically, in many quarters, by 
means of one kind and another, affusion is made 
to be almost the exclusive mode. Sometimes im- 
mersion is publicly spoken of as indecent. The 
natural timidity of the candidate may be wrought 
upon. Xo opportunity may be provided for im- 
mersion. In some churches ecclesiastical au- 
thority or administrative policy sets up a com- 
plete wall against immersion. 

Much may truly be said in favor of the conveni- 
ence and propriety of affusion. It is adapted to 
all who present themselves or may be presented 
for baptism. It economizes the time and lessens 
the danger to health on the part of the administra- 
tors of baptism. Some make use of water-proof 
clothing in baptizing by immersion, making thus a 
strong difference between them and the candidate, 
and raising various questions as to the rigorous 
theory that should require such a recourse. 

59 



Baptism 

In many cases, natural supplies of water suit- 
able for immersion cannot be found. Often the 
rigors of winter would lead to delays. In small 
congregations and in territory new to the gospel, 
artificial provisions could with difficulty be made. 
It may be remarked that in our cities and in popu- 
lous parts of the country it is often difficult, even 
where suitable water in sufficiently quantity may be 
found, to secure the reverence and solemnity be- 
fitting the sacred rite. Curious crowds are called 
out by the announcement of a baptismal service. 
In many cases, even without an announcement, 
the places selected for the solemn services are al- 
ready occupied by strollers, bathers, and fisher- 
men. The requirement in the case, so far as a 
well-established church is concerned, is to pro- 
vide a baptismal font or discourage all baptism by 
immersion. If infant baptism is to be recognized, 
the argument for affusion would be strengthened. 

The catholicity of the gospel, its being for all 
men everywhere, for all ages and conditions of 
men, would fall in well with sprinkling or pour- 
ing as the mode. Sprinkling, likewise, impress- 
ively recalls the sprinkling of the "water of sep- 
aration," which through so many years, stood as 

60 



Baptism 

a type of baptism, the appointed sign of separa- 
tion from sin and a life of worldliness. Yet after 
the largest force is given to the argument for af- 
fusion, it fails in this, that it gives support for a 
general but not an exclusive practice. 

The third position is that liberty as to mode is 
to be recognized, the subject of baptism, or those 
speaking for him, to determine the mode. This 
seems on its face to be a reasonable solution. No 
one mode can show an exclusive warrant. The 
Scriptures and history do not decide. Scholars do 
not agree. Paul writing with reference to the ob- 
servance of times and seasons, says, "Let every 
man be fully persuaded in his own mind" (Kom. 
14:5). Just as appropriately may the language 
be applied to the mode of baptism. Again, speak- 
ing with reference to the interference and tyranny 
of another man's conscience in the matter of meats 
offered to idols, he says, "For why is my liberty 
judged of another man's conscience?" (I. Cor. 
10 : 29). The language could not have been more 
to the point if aimed directly against those who 
in our day disturb weak and uninformed con- 
sciences by trying, in the matter of baptism, to 
bring to their own faith and practice those who 

61 



Baptism 

are already living Christian lives, according to 
customs under which they have been nurtured 
and led forth in Christian life. The right of de- 
cision by the subject of baptism does not require 
that the minister of the gospel should be silent 
or passive as to the mode of baptism. He can 
present his views and conyictions. He can assist 
and sympathize with those who are seeking to 
reach intelligent and safe conclusions. He may 
even urge or dissuade ; but if convictions have al- 
ready been formed by candidates for baptism, or 
when they are finally reached, the minister of the 
gospel is to respect such convictions and suit his 
actions to the case accordingly. 



62 



CHAPTEE III. 

Subjects of Baptism. 

The question of the subjects of baptism may 
be taken for determination to the Scriptures, to 
the history of the Christian church, and to the 
practical judgment and religious consciousness of 
Christians. There is, of course, no difference of 
opinion as to believing adults being proper sub- 
jects of baptism. The exception, if it be consid- 
ered such, is in the case of those who have been 
baptized in infancy. If infant baptism shall 
prove, as the subject is followed out, to have good 
and sufficient warrant, then the baptism conferred 
upon infants, as they for themselves later profess 
faith in Christ, becomes not other than believers' 
baptism, and should not be repeated. To attempt 
to breed dissatisfaction as to the validity of infant 
baptism, and to take delight in repeating baptism, 
unless there are the most solemn and weighty •rea- 
sons therefor, is certainly most unbecoming and 

63 



Baptism 

hurtful. If the applicant for rebaptism does not 
regard his baptism in infancy as valid, and after 
being instructed and assisted, remains of the same 
opinion, the applicant's judgment and conscience 
are to be regarded on the same ground that the 
mode of baptism is finally to be left to the decision 
of the applicant. 

It is claimed, however, that there are adults who 
have not passed to the justified and regenerated 
state who are proper subjects of baptism. Dr. 
John Miley, in his "Systematic Theology/' says: 
"The profession of a regenerate state should not 
be held as an invariable prerequisite of baptism. 
When there is satisfactory evidence of true peni- 
tence and the purpose of a Christian life in the 
fellowship of the church, the sacred rite may be 
administered as a means of grace ; as a help to the 
faith that shall be unto salvation/' In such a 
case, however, there is or may be true faith, though 
assurance of salvation has not sprung up in the 
soul. This being true, obedience in baptism may 
be a step or aid toward the conscious realization 
of salvation. Steps to Christ are not to be severely 
criticised if we may be sure that they will be fol- 
lowed out. Men must start from where they are. 

64 



Baptism 

Counsels that do not take this into account are 
responsible for many persons remaining where 
they are. Yet the rule is that baptism is for those 
who have exercised saving faith in Christ. 

Infant baptism is opposed by many on the 
ground that there is no express scriptural com- 
mand for it, and that the very idea of baptism ex- 
cludes it, baptism presupposing the exercise of 
personal faith and itself symbolizing regeneration. 
The silence of the Scriptures, and also of the 
"Teaching of the Twelve Apostles," as to infant 
baptism is by no means strange. Speaking on this 
point, Dr. Philip Schaff says: "Christianity al- 
ways begins by preaching the gospel to such as can 
hear, understand, and believe. Baptism follows 
as a solemn act of introduction into fellowship 
with Christ and the privileges and duties of 
church-membership. Infant baptism has no sense, 
and would be worse than useless where there is no 
Christian family or Christian congregation to ful- 
fill the conditions of baptism and to guarantee a 
Christian nurture" ("The Oldest Church Man- 
ual,"p. 31). 

It is by no means to be expected that the Scrip- 
tures should speak clearly and fully as to the posi- 

5 65 



Baptism 

tion and relations of children, either in a state 
of nature or under grace. They reveal the state 
and position of adults, especially of those to whom 
the gospel is preached, and for the most evident 
reasons. Even the salvation of infants cannot be 
referred to under the same terms as those appli- 
cable to adults. Are they saved without their per- 
sonal action? When are those dying in infancy 
regenerated, if, indeed, they require to be regen- 
erated? Their exceptional position forbids the 
application of a vigorous rule drawn from the con- 
dition of adults, and their exclusion from recogni- 
tion by baptism simply because of their inability 
to comply with the requirements for adults. Un- 
qualifiedly in their infant state they rest on Christ 
for salvation ; why may not their spiritual welfare 
be associated with their relation to believing par- 
ents, especially as no right of the child or principle 
of personal responsibility, as the state of maturity 
is reached, is disregarded? The idea of baptism 
may not, therefore, in every respect, be the same 
for the infant and the adult, and in speaking of 
baptism we should not seek at every point to make 
our words suit the ease of infants. It is claimed, 
however, that the rights of the child are violated 

66 



Baptism 

by his being baptized, or, so to speak, made a 
Christian without his consent. It is granted that 
infants have rights, and that to violate them would 
be a grave offense; but rights are not violated in 
such a case. 

If any proselyte coming over to the Jewish re- 
ligion and baptized into it has infant children, 
they are also circumcised and baptized. Says 
Wall, in his "History of Infant Baptism" : "The 
child's inability to declare or promise for himself 
was not looked on as a bar against his reception 
into the covenant. . . . And the reason for 
this, which the Jewish writers give, why it was not 
necessary to stay to see whether the child, when 
come to age, would be willing to engage himself 
in the covenant of the true God, or not, is this; 
that it is out of the reach of any doubt or contro- 
versy, that this is for his good. Where there may 
be any question made whether a thing be beneficial 
or not, the concerns of a child are not to be dis- 
posed of by another." The reasoning is good, 
though the alleged benefit of conversion to Juda- 
ism in more recent times admits of question. 
But take the case of the Jewish boy, Jesus, for 
example. Was any wrong done him when he was 

67 



Baptism 

brought up under the covenant and according to 
the law ? In the case of Jesus, all of the require- 
ments for the period of infancy were fulfilled at 
the hands of Joseph and Mary. "And when they 
had performed all things according to the law of 
the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own 
city Nazareth" (Luke 2:39). After his visit to 
the temple at the age of twelve, when he became a 
son of the law, it is beautifully said with refer- 
ence to Joseph and Mary and himself, "And he 
went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and 
was subject to them" (Luke 2: 51). There is no 
right to go against the divine order of things. 
While men may not ignore or override human free- 
dom, God, in the true religion, provides for the 
building up of right life and character from par- 
ents to their children, in full accord with the prin- 
ciples of genuine freedom. To allow the child to 
grow up under natural impulse, chance, or fate, is 
to rob him of choice, character, and God-given 
rights. If parents are in doubt as to the claims 
of the Christian religion on their children, they 
might as well dismiss its claims upon themselves. 
That baptism is an initiatory rite under the gos- 
pel, taking the place of circumcision under the old 

68 



Baptism 

economy, has been the claim and belief of most 
Christians from the time of Christ down to the 
present. The bearing of this fact on the question 
of infant baptism is evident. There are differ- 
ences as the two dispensations are different, but 
the points of correspondence are clear and impor- 
tant. Born under the covenant given, the cove- 
nant sign, a chosen people, no provision for license 
or wrong-doing, godly nurture, blessed and made 
a blessing, true freedom existing withal — all these 
things are common, and the most serious objec- 
tions to infant baptism are thereby answered. 

The considerations noticed may enable us more 
favorably to weigh such more direct evidences on 
the subject of infant baptism as may present 
themselves. That the Scriptures contain no di- 
rect command for the practice of infant baptism 
is not stranger than that they contain no direct 
command for the change of the Sabbath from the 
seventh to the first day of the week, and yet we 
do not doubt the reality and rightfulness of the 
change. As direct commands on the subject of in- 
fant baptism are not to be expected, any partial 
indications or proper inferences are all the more 
to be prized. 

69 



Baptism 

Christ's mind toward children is plainly indi- 
cated in the language, "Suffer little children, and 
forbid them not, to come unto me : for of such is 
the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands 
on them, and departed thence" (Matt. 19 : 14, 15). 
"Except ye be converted, and become as little chil- 
dren, ye shall not enter into tl*e kingdom of 
heaven" (Matt. 18 : 3) . If Christ says that adults 
are to become as little children, why should we in- 
sist that little children are to become like adults 
before they shall be recognized as having a place 
in the kingdom ? 

The great commission itself is not without some 
indication and bearing on the subject. "Go ye 
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, 
baptizing them into the name of the Father and 
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them 
to observe whatsoever I commanded you, and lo, 
I am with you alway, even unto the end of the 
world" (Matt. 28: 19, 20, American Version). 
The reference to the nations, while not to be un- 
derstood literally of aggregates, is not favorable 
to the way of thinking that would break up hu- 
manity into a multitude of fragments. The order 
is, making disciples, then baptizing, then instruct- 

70 






Baptism 

ing. Such an order would harmonize with the 
idea of infant baptism. The language, "whatso- 
ever I command you/' might include instruc- 
tions never reduced to writing. The "Lo, I am 
with you alway," may suggest that there would 
be fresh instructions with new exigencies, or that 
his followers having his presence would be able 
to meet whatever cases might arise. Through the 
Holy Spirit, he ever enlightens and directs his 
church. 

Yet Dr. Alexander Carson, commenting on the 
form of the great commission given in Mark 16: 
15, 16, which is left out of the Eevised Version 
for want of authority, uses such language as the 
following : "I am willing to hang the whole con- 
troversy upon this passage. . . . Even if I 
found another command enjoining the baptism of 
the infants of believers, I would not move an inch 
from my position. ... I would gainsay an 
angel from heaven who should say that this com- 
mission may extend to the baptism of any but be- 
lievers." Such a vaunting attitude does not be- 
token a sound position or a safe leader. 

The references in the Scriptures to household 
baptisms must be accorded a degree of relevancy 

71 



Baptism 

and force. The Philippian Jailer "and all his 
[house] " were baptized. (Acts 16:33.) Lydia 
"was baptized, and her household" (Acts 16: 15). 
The most ancient Syriac version says of Lydia, 
"She was baptized with her children." Besides, 
the "household of Stephanas" (I. Cor. 1 : 16), that 
of Crispus (Acts 18:8), and that of Cornelius 
(Acts 10: 48) are in like manner referred to. It 
is certainly more probable that there were children 
in some of the households than that there were 
none in any of them. It does not matter that the 
households in some of these cases are spoken of as 
exercising faith. The head of the family repre- 
sented the family in accepting the gospel, and 
children as well as older members of the family 
may well have had the sign of the covenant ex- 
tended to them. 

It is also declared in the Scriptures that the 
promise is to all whom God should call and to 
their children. (Acts 2 : 39.) The statement that 
the children of a believing parent are holy does not 
mean, as some think, that they were baptized, but 
it does affirm the ground in the faith of the parent 
for such a relation as baptism declares on the part 
of the child. "For the unbelieving husband is 

72 



Baptism 

sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is 
sanctified by the husband ; else were your children 
unclean; but now are they holy" (I. Cor. 7: 14). 

We may now notice the light which church his- 
tory throws on the question of infant baptism. 
Justin Martyr, writing about 140 A. D., says, 
"Several persons among us, sixty and seventy years 
old, of both sexes, who were made disciples to 
Christ in or from their childhood, do continue un- 
corrupted." The meaning is that they were bap- 
tized in infancy. Those seventy years of age at 
the time when Justin Martyr wrote must have 
been baptized as children within forty years after 
the ascension of Christ; that is, in the time of the 
apostles. Also, Justin Martyr likens baptism to 
circumcision, saying, "We are circumcised by bap- 
tism unto Christ's circumcision." 

The testimony of Irenaeus, who was born be- 
tween 120 and 130 A. D., is clear and unmistak- 
able. He was a disciple of Polycarp, who was 
himself a disciple of the Apostle John. He says, 
"He (Christ) came to save through means of 
himself all who through him are born again (re- 
generated) to God, infants, and children, and 
boys, and youths, and old men." In another con- 

73 



Baptism 

nection he says, "Baptism is being born again to 
God." 

Clement of Alexandria, who lived in the second 
century, speaking of suitable designs for seals, 
speaks of the representation of fishing as recall- 
ing "the apostle and the children drawn out of 
the water," baptism, of course, being in mind. 

Tertullian, born about 145 A. D., wrote exten- 
sively on the subject of baptism. He opposed in- 
fant baptism, not, however, disputing its an- 
tiquity, which he would have done had he known it 
to be introduced after the apostles. He, along 
with others of his age, believed that baptism 
washes away all sin and effects regeneration in the 
case of the infant as well as of the adult. To be 
sure of its complete effects, therefore, baptism 
should come in after the impulsiveness and weak- 
ness of youth, even after the passions have sub- 
sided, and a constant temper has been formed, that 
its magical results may be completed and abiding. 
He wrote: "Therefore, according to every one's 
condition and disposition, and also their age, the 
delaying of baptism is more profitable, especially in 
the case of little children. For what need is there 
that the godfathers should be brought into danger, 

74 



Baptism 

because they may either fail of their promises by 
death, or they may be mistaken by a child's prov- 
ing of wicked disposition? Our Lord says, indeed, 
'Do not forbid them to come to me/ Therefore, 
let them come when they are grown up. . . . 
For no less reason unmarried persons ought to be 
kept off." He writes further in the same man- 
ner. In consequence of such opinions, many per- 
sons delayed baptism till the time of death. 

Origen, one of the most learned of the fathers, 
was himself baptized in infancy, about 180 A. D. 
He says, in one place, "Infants are baptized for 
the forgiveness of sins"; and in another place, 
"The church had from the apostles a tradition to 
give baptism even to infants." Origen had the 
best of opportunities to know the early practice of 
the church, since, aside from his great learning, 
his family had been Christians for several genera- 
tions, his father being a Christian martyr. He 
had lived in Greece, in Cappadocia, in Arabia, in 
Syria and Palestine and at Eome. 

The testimony of Cyprian, as given in the de- 
cision of a council of sixty-six bishops, at Carthage, 
253 A. D., is given at length and with various 
particulars. Fidus, a country bishop, had asked 

75 



Baptism 

whether baptism might be given to an infant less 
than eight days old, if need required. The an- 
swer, in part, was as follows : "As to the case of 
infants: Whereas you judge that they must not 
be baptized within two or three days after they 
are born, and that the rule of ancient circum- 
cision [as to time] should be observed, so that 
none should be baptized and sanctified before the 
eighth day after he is born, we were all in our 
council of the contrary opinion." Circumcision 
is spoken of as a type of baptism, "the spiritual 
circumcision," "which type ceased when the sub- 
stance came and the spiritual circumcision was 
given to us." It is to be noticed that neither Fidus 
nor any one else intimates that infant baptism was 
not a general and primitive custom, or that there 
were any reasons whatever against it. 

Gregory of Nazianzen, writing in the fourth 
century, says: "Hast thou an infant child? Let 
not wickedness have the advantage of time; let 
. him be sanctified from his infancy ; let him be ded- 
icated from his cradle to [or by] the Spirit. 
Thou, as a faint-hearted mother and of little faith, 
art afraid of giving him the seal because of the 
weakness of nature. Hannah, before Samuel was 

76 



Baptism 

born, devoted him to God, and as soon as he was 
born consecrated him and brought him up from 
the first in a priestly garment, not fearing for hu- 
man infirmities, but trusting in God." Again, he 
says : "What say you to those that are as yet in- 
fants and are not in capacity to be sensible either 
of the grace or the miss of it? Shall we baptize 
them, too ? Yes, by all means, if any danger make 
it requisite." In case early death is not likely, he 
would favor a deferring of baptism till the child 
is three or four years old. 

Ambrose, of the fourth century, speaks of the 
"laver of salvation/'' by which those infants that 
are baptized are reformed back again from wicked- 
ness to the primitive state of their nature," as the 
fulfillment in his times and "in the apostles' 
times" of the type given in the turning back of the 
waters of the Jordan by Elijah. Chrysostom, 
writing in the fourth century, says: "You see 
how many are the benefits of baptism. . . . 
For this cause we baptize infants also, although 
they are not defiled with sin." 

Augustine, writing at the close of the fourth 
century in regard to infant baptism, says, "And 
if any one do ask for divine authority in this mat- 

77 



Baptism 

ter : though that which the whole church practices 
and which has not been instituted by councils, but 
was ever in use is very reasonably believed to be no 
other than a thing delivered by authority of the 
apostles." 

So many references from the fathers seem to 
confound baptism and regeneration, that the fol- 
lowing language of Augustine may be welcomed 
as setting the matter in a true light: "By all 
which, it appears that the sacrament of baptism is 
one thing and conversion of the heart another, but 
that the salvation of a person is completed by both 
of them. And if one of these be wanting, we are 
not to think that it follows that the other is want- 
ing; since one may be without the other in an in- 
fant, and the other was without that in the thief, 
God Almighty making up, both in the one and 
the other case that which was not wilfully want- 
ing. But when either of these is wilfully want- 
ing, it involves the person in guilt." He after- 
ward expressed a stricter view with reference to 
children dying unbaptized. 

At another place, Augustine says: "But the 
custom of our mother the church in baptizing in- 
fants must not be disregarded, or be accounted 

78 



Baptism 

needless or believed to be other than a tradition 
of the apostles." The difficulties to which he 
seems to refer were not in the form of objections 
made to infant baptism by any body of professed 
Christians, but difficulties in making theories har- 
monize. At another place, he speaks of infant 
baptism as doubtless delivered by our Lord and 
his apostles. Augustine, speaking of certain ones 
in his own time who had come to reject the doc- 
trine that infants are baptized for pardon of sin, 
says : "I do not remember that I ever heard any 
other thing from any Christian that received the 
Old and New Testament, neither from such as 
were of the Catholic Church, nor from such as be- 
longed to any sect or schism. ... I do not 
remember that I ever read otherwise in any writer 
that I could ever find treating of these matters, 
that followed the canonical Scriptures or did mean 
or pretend to do so." $' 

Pelagius, the great opponent of Augustine on 
the doctrine of original sin, wrote : "Men slander 
me as if I denied the sacrament of baptism to in- 
fants, or did promise the kingdom of heaven to 
some persons without the redemption of Christ, 
which is a thing that I never heard, no, not even 

79 



Baptism 

any wicked heretic say. ... In a word, who 
can be so impious as to hinder infants from being 
baptized and born again in Christ?" It would 
have been greatly in favor of Pelagius if he could 
have affirmed that infant baptism was not general 
or was not a primitive practice, but neither he nor 
Augustine knew of any such want of uniformity. 

In the references to church history, there has 
been no idea of justifying infant baptism by 
church authority or example, much less to justify 
the theological opinions of the church fathers, but 
only a desire to show what was actually the prac- 
tice in the church at different times, and espe- 
cially to show the connection of the practice with 
apostolic times. 

If it should be allowed that there is ample 
ground for difference of opinion as to whether in- 
fant baptism originated in the time of the apos- 
tles and under their sanction, there is no question 
as to its being general at a very early time in the 
history of the church. Donatists, Novatians, and 
other sects did not hold, in this respect, different 
opinions or observe a different practice. The 
sects of the Middle Ages, for the most part, were 
not marked by peculiarities as to baptism save as 

80 



Baptism 

some sects, or members of the same, gave little or 
no esteem to water baptism, especially in the case 
of infants. In connection with protests against a 
tyrannical and corrupt church, every manner of 
dissent and protest appeared, often connected with 
extravagant and heretical notions, but no clear 
and continuous testimony for adult baptism as 
an exclusive observance appears. Certainly the 
testimony of the Waldenses cannot be claimed on 
that side. With some of the Albigenses and with 
the followers of Henry of Lausanne, Peter de 
Bruis, and Arnold of Brescia, the case is somewhat 
different. 

Anabaptism, or the demand that those who had 
been baptized in infancy should be rebaptized on 
the profession of their faith, rose in Switzerland 
about 1523, and thence extended to Germany, Hol- 
land, England, and other countries. The English 
Baptists, about 1641, substituted immersion for 
baptism by affusion, to which they were accus- 
tomed in the countries on the continent of Europe 
from which many of them had fled. Outside of the 
various Baptist and Disciple bodies, the churches 
of all lands, East and West, observe infant bap- 
tism, or at least allow it ; the exceptions are small. 

6 81 



Baptism 

The success and beneficent results of the Bap- 
tist churches may not be wholly due to the feature 
of adult baptism, much less to immersion as the 
mode, but rather to the fact of a protest faith and 
practice and to the energy and zeal born of oppo- 
sition. Protest against the doctrine of baptismal 
regeneration and the corruptions and oppressions 
of a state church, and a literal appeal to the Scrip- 
tures, whether on real or apparent grounds, with 
baptismal peculiarities as a badge, have engen- 
dered most aggressive and effective qualities. But 
what the Baptists propaganda may accomplish 
when errors and abuses are more fully removed 
remains to be seen. Not protest or negative ele- 
ments will win in the long run. The opponents or 
rivals of the Baptist churches will not succeed in 
taking the field while they do not emphasize or 
give a just place to the important ordinance of 
baptism. 

The argument from Christian consciousness 
and practical considerations may next receive our 
attention. The meaning may best be understood 
from a reference to Neander and a citation from 
his church history. INTeander as an historian is a 
favorite with those who stand opposed to affusion 

82 



Baptism 

and to infant baptism. As regards both alike, he 
does not think that they belonged to apostolic 
times, but were later introduced. Yet he believes 
in and justifies both. Many Christian leaders take 
the same position and follow the same course. 
They are conscious of no inconsistency and of dis- 
regarding no authority. They believe that Chris- 
tianity is a vital somewhat, and must have both 
an inward and an outward expression and develop- 
ment, that the supernatural must take possession 
of and control the natural, that positive commands 
must gain to themselves the support of spiritual 
benefits, and that principles must lead to timely 
shaping of rules. 

Keander justified the practice of infant baptism 
on the ground that there is in the inmost con- 
sciousness of Christians a demand that their chil- 
dren should be included with them under the 
token of the covenant of salvation. He says: 
"Irenaeus is the first church teacher in whom we 
find any allusion to infant baptism, and in his 
mode of expressing himself on the subject he leads 
us at the same time to recognize its connection 
with the essence of the Christian consciousness. 
. • . It is the idea of infant baptism, that Christ, 

83 



Baptism 

through the divine life which he imparted to and 
revealed in human nature, sanctified that nature 
from the germ of its earliest development. The 
child born in a Christian family was, when all 
things were as they should be, to have this ad- 
vantage above others, that he did not first come 
to Christianity out of heathenism, or the sinful 
nature-life, but from the first dawning of con- 
sciousness unfolded his powers under the imper- 
ceptible preventing influences of a sanctifying, 
ennobling religion; that with the earliest germ- 
ination of the natural self-conscious life, another 
divine principle of life, transforming the nature, 
should be brought nigh to him, ere yet the ungodly 
principle could come into full activity, and the 
latter should at once find here its powerful count- 
erpoise. In such a life the new birth was not to 
constitute a new crisis, beginning at some definable 
moment, but it was to begin imperceptibly, and 
so proceed through the whole life. Hence, bap- 
tism, the visible sign of regeneration, was to be 
given to the child at the very outset ; the child was 
to be consecrated to the Eedeemer from the begin- 
ning of its life. From this idea, founded on what 
is inmost in Christianity, becoming predominant 

84 



Baptism 

in the feelings of Christians, resulted the practice 
of infant baptism." 

It should be remembered that this language is 
from Neander, whose motto was, "The heart is 
what makes the theologian." A distinguishing 
characteristic of many theologians of our day is 
that they go even further than Neander in giving 
heed to Christian experience or Christian con- 
sciousness. The abuses of the tendency are many 
and grievous, but the principle itself is not thereby 
condemned. It might be affirmed that the argu- 
ment that immersion grew out of a simpler form 
might be used to show that infant baptism was 
engrafted on adult baptism; but in that case, 
some sort of testimony should be produced. Be- 
sides, no development or outgrowth stands con- 
demned simply because of its being such, but is 
to be approved or condemned according as it 
stands in harmony with the principles of Chris- 
tianity and the proper purposes of the church, or 
as it opposes these. 

The benefits of infant baptism, if "all things," as 
Neander says, "are what they should be," constitute 
a strong argument for the practice. The claiming 
of the home as the spring-head of spiritual influ- 

85 



Baptism 

ence and character, the preempting of the chil- 
dren for Christ, the training of the children for 
Christian life and service, declare the improved 
possibilities of the church, provided ideals are 
practically carried out. These ideals require ex- 
ample, instruction, a community of life with the 
child, and a right relation to the church. It is 
readily admitted that if parents and the church do 
not assume and carry out the obligations implied 
in infant baptism, if instruction, Christian nur- 
ture, and constant recognition of the place and re- 
lations of baptized children, are not properly re- 
garded, the case of the children and the church 
may be even worse than if children are understood 
to stand outside the pale of the Christian com- 
munity, and then early and diligent effort is put 
forth to bring them within the fold. Because the 
ideal is often perverted or neglected is no reason 
why the church should set it aside. It may be 
said that everything that can be done along with 
baptism in the bringing up of the child may be 
faithfully and effectively done without it. If the 
work is really done, why may it not have the badge 
belonging to such reality and completeness? 
Probably our idea is totally inadequate, basing our 

8$ 



Baptism 

judgment on the present partial and heedless use 
of infant baptism, as to what a discreet and faith- 
ful use of the sacred rite may do for the church 
of the future. 

In former years, especially in some churches, 
confirmation, when the children came to about 
twelve years of age, was bestowed in a formal and 
matter-of-course way. Simply the use of water 
in what is usually called baptism does not itself 
fill out the idea of baptism, but what confirmation 
was designed to be is properly the culmination and 
completion of the act performed for the child, on 
the faith and position of the parents and the 
church; and in this final act acknowledged by the 
child in its own behalf. We may dispense with 
the word "confirmation" and also with customary 
forms, and use the simplest and commonest terms 
for the act and mode in which the child acknowl- 
edges and professes his personal acceptance of 
salvation and enters on the obligations of Chris- 
tian life and service, but let all this, with the in- 
struction and nurture implied, be regarded as the 
necessary constituent or complement of baptism. 
Doctor Sehaff speaks of confirmation as a subjec- 
tive supplement of baptism, Schleiermacher held 

87 



Baptism 

that what is called infant baptism is an "incom- 
plete rite/' and requires "the public profession of 
confirmation as the consequent of instruction in 
the Christian faith." Such a view may remove 
some of the objections to the meaningness of 
"sprinkling infants," lead to larger uniformity, 
and guard against the many and real dangers that 
lie in the way. We may well keep in mind the 
adage, "The worst is the perversion of the best." 

It is evident enough that the foregoing views 
will not be satisfactory to those who make baptism 
to be a closely-narrowed representation of a single 
thing, even though that thing be so great a mat- 
ter as regeneration. In that case, it must be lim- 
ited to adults or those who are capable of exercis- 
ing faith. Such a view looks to the past and not 
to the future, to the individual and not to the 
Christian community. A correct view must com- 
bine what baptism is as a positive institution, 
an observance resting on a divine command, and 
what it is as answering to man's thought and ex- 
perience and need. It should be viewed as an ex- 
pression to God, as worship, and not simply as an 
appointment of utility to man. 

ILofC. 88 



Conclusion. 

Baptism, as a positive institution, was not or- 
dained as a burden, or to discipline our obedience, 
or to humble our reason. It was given in infinite 
wisdom and love. It commends itself by the wants 
that it meets and the service it renders. In our 
individual life we are prompted and guarded by 
it. Family relations are hallowed and strength- 
ened by it. It is the "water of separation," which 
is the sign of the putting away of evil, of dying to 
the world, and union with the church of Christ. 
It is also much more than a sign. It is a seal, a 
formal assumption of covenant rights and duties. 
It is a means of grace. It is a confession of all 
that is fundamental in Christianity. It is not 
simply a receiving ordinance, but a giving one as 
well, a giving of vows and of worship. 

Yet our regard for it must be discriminating 
and duly subordinated to the things to which it is 
to minister. Great and sacred though it is, man 
was not made for baptism, but baptism for man. 

89 



Baptism 

!A proper regard for this fact will exclude many- 
errors and excesses. Mode has interest and value, 
whether judged from the standpoint of divine or- 
dination or of suitability to conditions and require- 
ments of men; but mode should not divide those 
whom baptism was intended to bring together. 
Liberty and friendship should be our motto. 

As to the subjects of baptism, perhaps more de- 
pends on the faithful and discreet way in which 
ideals are carried out than in the form of the 
ideal, though the best practice should be joined to 
the best ideals. Can God say of us what he said 
of faithful Abraham, "I know him, that he will 
command his children and household after him" ? 

Happy will it be for us if, in our attitude 
toward disputed customs in baptism, we, on the 
one hand, do not exhibit a zeal without knowledge, 
or on the other hand, do not become indifferent or 
scandalized because of the errors of others, or be- 
cause of the absence of a divine command in 
methods of observance. Happiest of all will it be 
if the work of the Spirit and induction into the 
divine kingdom, to which outward acts and forms 
relate, shall truly have, in us and in our relation- 
ships, due fulfillment. 

90 



SEP 4- looa 



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1902 
1902 



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